The Red Mile completed the first week of its 150th season featuring the first of three $35,000 legs in the debut of the Kentucky Sire Stakes Series for 4-year-old male and female pacers on Tuesday (July 23). Hungry For Love and El Rey demonstrated their affinity for the Lexington oval as each horse turned the tables on the rival who defeated them at Oak Grove Racing and Gaming in $150,000 series finals last month.
Author: by Kimberly French, for The Red Mile
Women Layer wins photo in Pocono feature
Earlier rain that had dampened the track at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, and caused the day to start out with a surface rated “good,” cleared out to improve conditions to the point that most of Tuesday’s (July 23) feature races were conducted over a “fast” surface.
Monti wins four including Plainridge Park feature
Driver Drew Monti had a big day at Plainridge Park on Monday (July 22) afternoon after he won four races on the card, including the $20,000 Open Handicap for pacing mares with Side Piece.
Cantab Hall, “George Nap” in Pocono sweep
Driver George Napolitano Jr. teamed with sons of Cantab Hall to sweep the $15,000 trotting features Monday afternoon (July 220 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, and in his seasonlong duel with Matt Kakaley Napolitano has reclaimed the top spot in the mountain track’s standings.
Freshmen Colt Pacers spar at Bangor
Two $16,000-plus divisions of Maine Sire Stakes sparred for dollars as each of the freshmen male pacing victors played “catch me if you can,” on Thursday (July 18).
Sir Pinocchio & Fly By don’t disappoint in NY Sire Stakes at Yonkers
Heavy favorites Sir Pinocchio and Fly By were up to the task in the pair of New York Sire Stakes divisions for sophomore trotting colts and geldings on Thursday night (July 18) at MGM Yonkers Raceway, scoring in 1:55 and 1:56.3, respectively.
Four trots in 1:53 or better at Philly
The “Trottin’ Thursday” (July 18) card made its usual strong contribution to the week’s racing at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with four miles for diamond-gaited horses going in 1:53 or faster at the southeast Pennsylvania oval.
Juliet Duz does it again at Monticello
Monticello, IA – A card of seven races was held Thursday (July 18) at the Jones County Fairground in Monticello, Iowa. 2-year-old pacers looked to try their racing luck in race six….
Boston Rocks first at Pocono Tuesday
A fierce summer storm swept through northeast Pennsylvania just before the $17,000 featured pace at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania Tuesday(July 16) afternoon, causing a delay before the race. But when the feature field did come to the track, the Boston Red Rocks sophomore colt Boston Rocks showed no ill effects from being kept waiting, coming his last half in :54.4 to lower his mark to 1:51.4 despite the “sloppy” going.
Jay Randall scores career win 5,000 at Plainridge Park
When driver Jay Randall won the fourth race with Sweet Street Lou (1:54.4, $8.60) at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (July 16) afternoon, he reached the 5,000 win plateau for his career that now spans 46 years.